Watercress is a cruciferous plant grown for centuries as a mineral rich green leafy vegetable.

The health benefits of watercress are providing nutrition, boosting immunity, cancer preventive, and thyroid support!  It is my favorite salad green. Even the British high teas have cucumber and watercress sandwiches.s.
#watercress

Five herbs that eliminate headaches without side-effects

(1) Willow (Salix alba, white willow, willow bark) has a long history of pain relief. White willow extracts were used in the early 1800s. Extracting white willow's active ingredient of salicin, which the body converts to salicylic acid, proved to be too time consuming and costly for rising public demands.

By the mid 1800s, a German pharmaceutical company created a synthetic version of salicylic acid to meet public demand, but it often caused stomach bleeding and severe ulcers. So the salicyclic acid was modified into acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) by the German pharmaceutical company called Bayer. Thus came Bayer Aspirin.

Though not as severe as earlier synthetic substitutes for willow, ASA aspirin still irritates the inner stomach wall. Willow's active ingredient goes into the stomach as salicin and is later converted in the body as pain relieving salicyclic acid, avoiding irritation to the stomach lining.

Willow has been clinically proven to be just as effective for tension headaches and other pains as aspirin.

(2) Butterbur, an old folk remedy for other ailments, has been recently discovered to be effective for migraine headaches. Migraine headaches are less common but more uncomfortable and debilitating than tension headaches.

The May 2000 journal Headache reported rising interest and clinical proof that butterbur was very effective for relieving migraine headaches without side-effects and even preventing future migraine repeat episodes.

Some evidence points to butterbur as effective for even cluster headaches, which generally are short, very intense, and on one side of the head.

One of those clinical trials involved the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's study of 245 migraine sufferers, 68 percent of whom had at least 50 percent reduction of migraine symptoms when using butterbur.

If you wish to try butterbur, make sure it's labeled PA (pyrrolizidine alkaloids) free before you buy it. This indicates liver toxic alkaloids normally in butterbur plants have been removed.

As usual, it's wise to check with a knowledgeable holistic health practitioner to make sure if it's right for you.

(3) Feverfew has been used with considerable success for migraines and even cluster headaches. It is a member of the daisy family, and its leaves are used to create the herb.

Not much is known about how it works, but it's believed that the anti-inflammatory properties from feverfew's parthenolide inhibits chemicals that cause brain blood vessels to spasm.

A 1997 study by D. G. Palevitch and R. Carasso showed that feverfew significantly reduced pain and alleviated nausea and light sensitivity. Many consider feverfew effective as a preventative for the migraine prone.

One source recommends daily dosing of 250 mg of the extract for around a month to minimize migraine frequency and intensity.

Check feverfew out with someone who knows herbs well.

(4) Skullcap is a safe, effective solution for tension headaches and tension itself. It's available in extracts or capsules. But make sure you're getting the real, unadulterated herb. Sometimes skullcap's mixed or even substituted with germander, a known liver toxin.

(5) Ginger and/or Ginko Biloba are both useful for tension headaches and other types of headache stemming from jaw and sinus problems. The ginger is anti-inflammatory. It can be purchased in capsules or you can slice up ginger root thinly and boil it as a tea. Simmer for 30 minutes as part of steeping.

Ginko Biloba capsules or tablets tend to increase mental alertness and improve minor memory issues by dilating blood vessels in the brain. This also helps reduce headache discomfort.

There are a few other herbal remedies that can be used for headaches, such as valerian and passion flower. Both have sedative qualities and are best used before retiring.

Regardless of how safe all of them are, consult an herbalist or health practitioner knowledgeable about herbs to ensure optimum results.

Sources for this article include:

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/completeazindex/a/willow_bark.htm

http://www.naturalnews.com/028866_butterbur_migraines.html

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/feverfew-000243.htm


Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/041844_headaches_relief_herbs.html#ixzz2dUSaPc7d

Dr. Mercola's Natural Health Tips Infographic

5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD TRY HEMP SEED OIL

Hemp seed oil is probably one of the healthiest oils on the planet. If you’re not using hemp seed oil as an essential part of your daily diet, you’re missing out on one of nature’s most amazing health foods.

Try alternating hemp seed oil with flaxseed oil and high quality fish oils for variety cost savings and having a good source of omega 3's.

The main nutritional advantage of hemp seed oil over other oils is both in the composition of its oil (i.e. its fatty acid profile) and in its protein, which contains all of the essential amino acids at a ratio closer to other ‘complete’ sources of protein (such as meat or eggs).

Image Courtesy: http://www.bodytemple.com.au/

For many years there was a misconception that hemp seed oil contained THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive element of the cannabis plant. Needless to say, there is no THC within the hemp seed.

Here are 5 reasons why you should try hemp seed oil:

1.     Full of vitamins

Hemp seed oil is the only plant that contains vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption. It also contains acids and antioxidants in the form of vitamin E and carotene as well as a number of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, potassium and phosphorus.

2.     Excellent for skin care

Hemp seed oil can prevent skin disorders like psoriasis, eczema, acne and dry skin. You can also use hemp seed oil as massage oil.

3.     High in protein 

Hemp seed oil is made up of 25 percent high-quality protein and provides the body with all of the essential amino acids in quantities and at a ratio similar to that of meats, milk and eggs. 

4.     Rich in essential fatty acids

5.     A great alternative to fish oilHemp seed oil’s high content of essential fatty acids is what makes it so exceptional. Our bodies don’t produce essential fatty acids so we need to ensure we are consuming good sources of it daily. Essential fatty acids don’t only provide our hair and skin with nutrients but they’re vital for the function and development of the brain and nervous system, as well as important to restoring health and immune function.

Fish oil is rich in the essential fatty acid Omega 3 however some sources of fish oils can be contaminated with mercury and other toxins. Hemp seed oil, contains Omega 3, 6, and 9, and will provide the same benefits as fish oil without the danger of consuming toxins.

There are a lot ways to use hemp seed oil and just a few teaspoons a day could make significant differences in your health. With a pleasant nutty flavor, hemp seed oil is great to use in salad dressings, pestos and dips. It’s not suitable for frying however, as this reduces the benefits.

The multiple hazards of soy consumption

Now I've posted about this before, but more and more articles are coming out about the hazards of soy...soy is only safe for consumption when it is fermented. Here is another great article to share, read on....

    Another unsolved puzzle is whether soy foods play a different role in the body than do soy supplements. Some say straight soy beats supplements any day, while others point to the shocking prevalence of GMO soy. And if you follow anything GMO-related, you know that it never leads to good news or healthy outcomes. Several reports say as much as 99 percent of soy has been genetically modified, and most soybean plants are treated with a high level of pesticides.

    Does that mean organic soy is the way to go? Possibly, but here are some more soy-related facts that should give you pause.

• Soy is high in something called phytic acid, which blocks the absorption of minerals like calcium and magnesium. That's one reason third-world countries with grain- and legume-based diets (and thus high phytic acid levels) tend to have widespread mineral deficiencies.
• Soybeans have toxins that are so powerful, they're not destroyed during cooking. Many of the toxins are known as enzyme inhibitors, which complicate your ability to digest protein. In one study, animals that consumed enzyme inhibitors ended  up developing pancreatic problems, including pancreatic cancer. Yikes!
• Soy products tend to have higher-than-normal levels of aluminum, which is known to have negative health effects. It comes from aluminum tanks where the beans are washed and heat-treated. I don't think this is a major worry, but I toss it out there for your consideration.

    This brings us back to the Asia question, and why Asian cultures have been safely consuming soy for thousands of years. One theory is that they only began soy consumption after they figured out how to ferment it; before that, they avoided soybeans because of the toxins.

    Fermentation makes the nutrients in soy more available on a biological level while destroying their natural toxins. Fermented soy foods include natto, miso, and tempeh. But the downside to those foods is that they're high in sodium. Again, I don't feel this is a major worry, but if you think you're salt sensitive, you need to know it.

    The evidence I've seen for fermented soy is highly favorable. I see it as healthy food to eat, with benefits in treating and preventing a variety of diseases including cancer and heart disease.

When in doubt, don't eat it

    Other than fermented, soy is a minefield. I don't eat it — in defiance of my integrative doctor, a smart man who continues to believe soy is a healthy food. It's just about impossible to reach any definite conclusions about it. That's enough reason to avoid it.

Think twice before you grab for that beer!

What if Beer Companies Told the Truth?

August 27, 2013

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Would some of their labels say, “Brewed with pure Rocky Mountain spring water, GMO corn syrup, and fish bladder”?
If you like to kick back now and then with a cold one, you may not have given much thought to what’s in the bottle or can. Perhaps you were reassured by ads with wholesome images of sparkling mountain streams and barley rippling in the breeze, or by slogans like “Budweiser: The Genuine Article.”
The reality is far less appetizing. The list of legal additives to beer includes:

• MSG
• Propylene glycol (it helps stabilize a beer’s head of foam, though in high quantities it can cause health problems)
• High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
• Calcium disodium EDTA
• Caramel coloring
• FD&C blue 1, red 40, and yellow 5
• Insect-based dyes
• Glyceryl monostearate
• Isinglass (see below)

You’re unlikely to see any of these industrial-sounding ingredients on a label, because listing ingredients in beer is voluntary. And when ingredients are listed, it may be a partial list—which is even more deceptive than having no list at all.
Several beers, for example, contain HFCS, most of which is genetically modified (GMO), andisinglass, a clarifying agent made from the swim bladder of fish. But check most beer websites and they’ll tell you their “key ingredients” are “roasted, malted barley, hops, yeast, and water.” Perhaps the HFCS and isinglass were not “key” enough to merit inclusion on this list?
Some brands with less-than-wholesome ingredients:

• Newcastle uses artificial caramel color to simulate the golden brown color that is supposed to come from toasted barley. “Caramel color” sounds innocuous, right? But it’s manufactured by heating ammonia and sulfites under high pressure, which may create carcinogenic compounds.
• Miller Light, Coors, Corona, Fosters, Pabst, and Red Stripe use corn syrup, and Molson-Coors acknowledged that some of their corn is GMO.
• Budweiser, Bud Light, Bush Light, and Michelob Ultra use dextrose (made from corn).
• Anheuser-Bush uses corn.

The labeling regulations are confusing and capricious. Food is regulated by the FDA, and requires a Nutrition Facts panel, but alcohol is regulated by the US Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Unless it’s beer made with something other than malted barley, and then it’s regulated by the FDA and must carry a Nutrition Facts panel. States also have their own regulations, which can supersede those of TTB, but not of the FDA.
Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor at New York University, explained on her blog why we still don’t know the ingredients in alcoholic beverages. In short, TTB has been procrastinating since 2007 on completing their rules for labeling of alcoholic beverages.
People with allergies to genetically modified corn are taking a chance when drinking beer, as there is no requirement that GMO ingredients be identified on the label. We told you early this year about the dangers of GMOs, and in 2011 about the dangers of sugar, especially fructose. So genetically modified fructose carries a one–two punch, and may be one of the more toxic foods that can be hiding in your food or drink—with nothing about it on the label.
Unfortunately for those with a sweet tooth, eschewing HFCS for plain old cane sugar may not be that much of an improvement. A recent study of mice fed a mixture of fructose and glucose showed that even moderate amounts of sugar shorten life span (females fed sugar died twice as fast) and hamper reproduction (males were less likely to hold territory and sired fewer offspring).
While it certainly has its health benefits, and studies suggest that people who drink a little live a bit longer, alcohol—even without unsavory additives—has more negatives than plusses. It introduces what is treated as a poison by your body and stresses the entire gastrointestinal system, from mouth to colon, making cancer possibly more likely, especially in the esophagus. It may increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and cirrhosis of the liver.
Not ready to give up the occasional brewski? According to the Food Babe, Sierra Nevada, Heineken, and Amstel Light are good choices, as they use only non-GMO grains and no artificial ingredients, stabilizers, or preservatives. German beers are subject to the “Reinheitsgebot” law mandating that beer be produced using only water, hops, yeast, malted barley, or wheat—you won’t have to guess what’s in them.
An obvious choice is certified organic beer, which cannot include GMOs and other harmful additives by law. And then there are the microbreweries. Many craft beer companies will give you a complete list of ingredients if you ask. Be warned, however: large beer companies are buying up microbreweries one by one, as Molson-Coors did with Blue Moon and Anheuser-Busch did with Goose Island Brewery.
The healthiest of all alcoholic beverages is not beer at all, but red wine. It naturally containsresveratrol, which appears to have anti-aging, cancer-preventing, cardio-protective, neuro-protective, and anti-diabetic effects. It’s also an anti-inflammatory and an antiviral to boot. As we noted in a recent article, red wine can also help clear bad bugs from your stomach. Cheers!

6 easy steps to avoid common genetically modified foods

According to scientists, this is the most relaxing tune ever recorded

This eight minute song is a beautiful combination of arranged harmonies, rhythms and bass lines and thus helps to slow the heart rate, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of the stress. The song features guitar, piano and electronic samples of natural soundscapes.

A study was conducted on 40 women, who were connected to sensors and had been given challenging puzzles to complete against the clock in order to induce a level of stress. Different songs were then played, to test their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and brain activity. The results showed that the song Weightless was 11 per cent more relaxing than any other song and even caused drowsiness among women in the lab. It induced a 65 per cent reduction in overall anxiety and brought them to a level 35 per cent lower than their usual resting rates. 

Image Source: www.bubblnews.com

According to Lyz Cooper, founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy, the song has been created using various scientific theories and make use of musical principles that are known to have individually calming effects. Hence these elements have been combined together by Marconi Union to make the perfect relaxing song ever. The song comprises of a sustaining rhythm that starts at 60 beats per minute and gradually slows to around 50. Thus, while listening to the song, your heartbeat automatically comes to match that beat. She even adds that it is necessary for the song to be eight minutes long because it takes about five minutes for entertainment to occur. The gaps between the notes have been chosen to create a feeling of euphoria and comfort. In addition, there are no repetitive melodies in the song which allows one's brain to completely switch off since one is no longer trying to predict what is next. The random chimes in the song help induce a deeper sense of relaxation and the final element in the song is the low, whooshing sounds and hums, those like the Buddhist chants.
Moreover, sound therapies have been used for thousands of years to help people relax and improve health and well-being. Among indigenous cultures, music has been the heart of healing and worship. The song, weightless is ideal for unwinding and putting an end to a stressful day.

According to Dr David Lewis-Hodgson, from Mindlab International, which conducted the research, this song induced the greatest relaxation, higher than any other music tested till date. In accordance to the Brain imaging studies, music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions. The song Weightless can make one drowsy and hence should not be heard while driving.

Richard Talbot, from Marconi Union, was fascinated to work with a therapist to learn how and why certain sounds affect people's mood. Though he always knew the power of music, they had previously written songs using only their gut feeling.

The study conducted by bubble bath and shower gel firm, Radox Spa found the song was even more relaxing than a massage, walk or cup of tea. According to Cassie Shuttlewood, from Radox Spa, it is understandable not to spend hundreds of pounds on massages, spa weekends and yoga retreats to reduce stress levels.

The top ten relaxing songs are known to be 

1. Marconi Union - Weightless 
2. Airstream - Electra 
3. DJ Shah - Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix) 
4. Enya - Watermark
5. Coldplay - Strawberry Swing
6. Barcelona - Please Don't Go 
7. All Saints - Pure Shores 
8. Adelev Someone Like You 
9. Mozart - Canzonetta Sull'aria 
10. Cafe Del Mar - We Can Fly

Ten ways to protect yourself from harmful cell phone radiation Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/041765_cell_phones_EMF_radiation_protection.html#ixzz2d2naiIQi

1. Limit your time on the phone. Reduce cell phone use to only the most necessary calls, and when you do use it, keep your calls short and to the point. Research has shown that a short, two-minute call can alter the natural electrical activity of the brain up to one hour.

2. Text when you can. Obviously you don't want to do this when you're driving or while performing any other activity that demands your full attention, but when a text will suffice, send one instead of dialing.

3. Consider replacing your current phone with a low-radiation phone. Whenever you make or receive a call, your phone signal travels via electromagnetic waves, and scientists don't yet know - fully - how much they will affect your health over a period of time. So for now, researchers are suggesting you replace your current model with a lower-emission phone. Consult the Environmental Working Group's recommendations here:http://www.ewg.org/cellphoneradiation/Get-a-Safer-Phone

4. Use a headset or speaker. Right now, there isn't enough research to determine whether using a speaker or headset, rather than your phone itself, offers better protection. But one thing is known: the electromagnetic waves emitted by your phone are absorbed most often received by the temporal lobe of your brain, during normal usage (phone to your ear), and that part of your brain handles hearing, auditory processing, formation of long-term memory, speech, and vision.

5. Don't put the phone by your body or on your waist during use. Again, it's a device that emits and transmits electromagnetic waves that are absorbed by the soft tissues in your body. One study suggested that men who wear their cell phones near their waste could see their sperm count reduced by as much as one-third.

6. Delayed use. If you're using your phone without a headset, wait for your call to connect before putting it next to your ear.

7. Avoid use in metal boxes. That may sound funny but using your phone in, say, an elevator or your car, cuts signal strength and forces the phone to use more power to connect.

8. About that power thing... If your cell signal is down to a few bars, consider waiting to use your phone. Again, it's a power thing: less signal means more power is required for use.

9. A word about EMFs. Protect yourself from EMFs - electromagnetic fields. You can do that by purchasing a scientifically validated EMF protection device. Doing so will strengthen your bioenergy field and immune system against the harmful effects of EMFs.

10. As always, support your body with proper nutrition. Think about supplementing your nutritional diet with anti-oxidants such as catalase, glutathione, and Coq10. You can also supplement with melatonin, Zinc and Gingo Biloba.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/041765_cell_phones_EMF_radiation_protection.html#ixzz2d2nVevVK

WHY 80% OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE WILL SOON STOP EATING WHEAT

The future of wheat is certain, and it’s toxic. There are as many health risks associated with the consumption of wheat as there are nutritional benefits claimed by the wheat industry. Why is there such a strong emphasis on the development of wheat products all over the world when there are so many adverse and crippling effects such as neurological impairment, dementia, heart disease, cataracts, diabetes, arthritis and visceral fat accumulation, not to mention the full range of intolerances and bloating now experienced by millions of people?

Approximately 700 million tons of wheat are now cultivated worldwide making it the second most-produced grain after maize. It is grown on more land area than any other commercial crop and is considered a staple food for humans.

At some point in our history, this ancient grain was nutritious in some respects, however modern wheat really isn’t wheat at all. Once agribusiness took over to develop a higher-yielding crop, wheat became hybridized to such an extent that it has been completely transformed from it’s prehistorical genetic configuration. All nutrient content of modern wheat depreciated more than 30% in its natural unrefined state compared to its ancestral genetic line. The balance and ratio that mother nature created for wheat was also modified and human digestion and physiology could simply could not adapt quick enough to the changes.

The Nutritional Value of Wheat is Practically Non-Existent
In Its Current Form

So-called health experts in nutrition who continue to promote the health benefits of wheat are extremely uninformed about the nature of modern wheat and its evolution from growth to consumption. It is shocking how many professionals in public health still recommend wheat products without an assessment of their individual requirements, especially considering the amount of evidence regarding its lack of nutrition and health risks for proportionally large segments of the population.

The majority of wheat is processed into 60% extraction, bleached white flour. 60% extraction–the standard for most wheat products means that 40% of the original wheat grain is removed. So not only do we have an unhealthier, modified, and hybridized strain of wheat, we also remove and further degrade its nutritional value by processing it. Unfortunately, the 40% that gets removed includes the bran and the germ of the wheat grain–its most nutrient-rich parts. In the process of making 60% extraction flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost. Any processed foods with wheat are akin to poison for the body since they cause more health risks than benefits. The body does not recognize processed wheat as food. Nutrient absorption from processed wheat products is thus consequential with almost no nutritional value.

Some experts claim if you select 100% whole wheat products, the bran and the germ of the wheat will remain in your meals, and the health benefits will be impressive. This is again a falsity promoted by the wheat industry since even 100% whole wheat products are based on modern wheat strains created by irradiation of wheat seeds and embryos with chemicals, gamma rays, and high-dose X-rays to induce mutations. Whether you consume 10% or 100% of wheat is irrelevant since you’re still consuming a health damaging grain that will not benefit, advance or even maintain your health in any way.

Dr. Marcia Alvarez who specializes in nutritional programs for obese patients says that when it comes to nutrition, wheat may be considered as an evil grain. “Modern wheat grains could certainly be considered as the root of all evil in the world of nutrition since they cause so many documented health problems across so many populations in the world.” Dr. Alvarez asserted that wheat is now responsible for more intolerances than almost any other food in the world. “In my practice of over two decades, we have documented that for every ten people with digestive problems, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, arthritis and even heart disease, eight out of ten have a problem with wheat. Once we remove wheat from their diets, most of their symptoms disappear within three to six months,” she added. Dr. Alvarez estimates that between the coming influx of genetically modified (GM) strains of wheat and the current tendency of wheat elimination in societies, that a trend is emerging in the next 20 years that will likely see 80% of people cease their consumption of wheat from any form.

Genetic Modification 

The GM wheat currently being tested for approval for production in Canada is a new variety of hard red spring wheat which has been genetically engineered to be tolerant to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup. Monsanto Canada Inc. requested the approval of GE wheat from Health Canada in July 2002 and for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in December 2002.

In July 2009, the most hated company in the world Monsanto, announced new research into GM wheat and industry groups kicked their promotion of GM wheat into high gear. “Widespread farmer and consumer resistance defeated GM wheat in 2004 and this global rejection remains strong, as demonstrated by today’s statement,” said Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

There are now even claims by researchers in Australia have developed a form of salt-tolerant wheat that will allow farmers to grow crops in soil with high salinity. They created the new form of wheat by crossing a modern strain with an ancient species, and the researchers believe this new super-wheat will allow farmers to grow more food crops on land previously thought to be off limits to agriculture. Critics suggest that new strains will be foreign to current ecological systems and will be unsustainable without massive chemical intervention.

Industry claims that the introduction of GM wheat will lead to a reduction in herbicide use, a claim that has been made prior to the introduction of other herbicide tolerant (HT) crops such as Roundup Ready (RR) soybeans, canola and corn. These claims have been contradicted by US government statistics that show that GM HT crops such as RR crops use more pesticides than conventional crops. These state GM crops can receive as much as 30 percent more herbicide than non-GM crops. Not only do GM crops use more pesticides but they also force the farmer to purchase one single brand of herbicide, in this case Monsanto brand Roundup.

If introduced, GE wheat will enter farmers’ rotations along with the already HT canola and soybeans. This compounds the issue of superweeds as each crop sown would be HT, so any seed that fell from the crop before harvest would pose a threat of becoming an uncontrollable weed, or contained by using increasingly toxic herbicides. How can we believe that pesticide use will decrease with GE wheat?

These developments are also taking place in the United States which is the third largest wheat producer in the world. Fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and growth regulators are all becoming more chemically potent and their frequency of application continues to increase every 5 years. American scientists are currently developing GM strains of wheat conferring resistance to fungal diseases. Wheat is becoming such a transmutated grain, that it someday may not even be called wheat.

Health Effects 

A powerful little chemical in wheat known as ‘wheat germ agglutinin’ (WGA) which is largely responsible for many of wheat’s pervasive, and difficult to diagnose, ill effects. Researchers are now discovering that WGA in modern wheat is very different from ancient strains. Not only does WGA throw a monkey wrench into our assumptions about the primary causes of wheat intolerance, but due to the fact that WGA is found in highest concentrations in “whole wheat,” including its supposedly superior sprouted form, it also pulls the rug out from under one of the health food industry’s favorite poster children.

Each grain of wheat contains about one microgram of Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA). Even in small quantities, WGA can have profoundly adverse effects. It may be pro-inflammatory, immunotoxic, cardiotoxic … and neurotoxic.

Below the radar of conventional serological testing for antibodies against the various gluten proteins and genetic testing for disease susceptibility, the WGA “lectin problem” remains almost entirely obscured. Lectins, though found in all grains, seeds, legumes, dairy and our beloved nightshades: the tomato and potato, are rarely discussed in connection with health or illness, even when their presence in our diet may greatly reduce both the quality and length of our lives. Yet health experts dismiss the links between disease and wheat despite all the evidence.

Dr William Davis has documented several hundred clinical studies on the adverse effects of wheat. These are studies that document the neurologic impairments unique to wheat, including cerebellar ataxia and dementia; heart disease; visceral fat accumulation and all its attendant health consequences; the process of glycation via amylopectin A of wheat that leads to cataracts, diabetes, and arthritis; among others. There are, in fact, a wealth of studies documenting the adverse, often crippling, effects of wheat consumption in humans.

The other claim is that wheat elimination ‘means missing out on a wealth of essential nutrients. Another falsity. Dr. Davis states that if you replace wheat with healthy foods like vegetables, nuts, healthy oils, meats, eggs, cheese, avocados, and olives, then there is no nutrient deficiency that develops with elimination of wheat. Dr Davis also states that people with celiac disease may require long-term supplementation due to extensive gastrointestinal damage caused by wheat.

People with celiac disease do indeed experience deficiencies of multiple vitamins and minerals after they eliminate all wheat and gluten from the diet. But this is not due to a diet lacking valuable nutrients, but from the incomplete healing of the gastrointestinal tract (such as the lining of the duodenum and proximal jejunum). In these people, the destructive effects of wheat are so overpowering that, unfortunately, some people never heal completely. These people do indeed require vitamin and mineral supplementation, as well as probiotics and pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

Due to the unique properties of amylopectin A, two slices of whole wheat bread increase blood sugar higher than many candy bars. High blood glucose leads to the process of glycation that, in turn, causes arthritis (cartilage glycation), cataracts (lens protein glycation), diabetes (glycotoxicity of pancreatic beta cells), hepatic de novo lipogenesis that increases triglycerides and, thereby, increases expression of atherogenic (heart disease-causing) small LDL particles, leading to heart attacks. Repetitive high blood sugars that develop from a grain-rich diet are, in my view, very destructive and lead to weight gain (specifically visceral fat), insulin resistance, leptin resistance (leading to obesity), and many of the health struggles that many now experience.

Wheat gliadin has been associated with cerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, gluten encephalopathy (dementia), behavioral outbursts in children with ADHD and autism, and paranoid delusions and auditory hallucinations in people with schizophrenia, severe and incapacitating effects for people suffering from these conditions.

According to statistics from the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, an average of one out of every 133 otherwise healthy people in the United States suffers from CD. However, an estimated 20-30 percent of the world’s population may carry the genetic susceptibility to celiac disease–and the way to avoid turning these genes ‘on’ is by avoiding gluten.

When you consider that undiagnosed CD is associated with a nearly four-fold increased risk of premature death, the seriousness of this food sensitivity becomes quite evident. The primary disease mechanism at play is chronic inflammation, and chronic inflammatory and degenerative conditions are endemic to grain-consuming populations.

Changes in genetic code and, thereby, antigenic profile, of the high-yield semi-dwarf wheat cultivars now on the market account for the marked increase in celiac potential nationwide. “Hybridization” techniques, including chemical mutagenesis to induce selective mutations, leads to development of unique strains that are not subject to animal or human safety testing–they are just brought to market and sold.

Author and preventive cardiologist William Davis, MD, wheat’s new biochemical code causes hormone disruption that is linked to diabetes and obesity. “It is not my contention that it is in everyone’s best interest to cut back on wheat; it is my belief that complete elimination is in everyone’s best health interests,” says Dr. Davis, “In my view, that’s how bad this thing called ‘wheat’ has become.”

Chemical mutagenesis using the toxic mutagen, sodium azide, of course, is the method used to generate BASF’s Clearfield herbicide-resistant wheat strain. These methods are being used on a wide scale to generate unique genetic strains that are, without question from the FDA or USDA, assumed to be safe for human consumption.

Wheat-Free Options

* Note that many of the wheat-free options still contain gluten.

1. Cereal Grains: Barley, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, tef and wild rice are all in the same cereal grain family as is wheat. All flours ground from cereal grains may be used as a wheat substitute. Commonly available are barley, buckwheat, rice and rye flour. The less utilized flours may be purchased online or from natural food stores. Note: people with a gluten allergy must also avoid barley, oats and rye.

2. Non-Cereal Grains: Amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat are three grain-like seeds unrelated to cereal grains. (Despite its name, buckwheat is not a wheat-relative.) It is rare for anyone to develop a sensitivity to these non-cereal grains. Amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat are gluten-free and therefore not suitable for making leavened bread; however, they make excellent quick breads and cookies.

3. Nut Meal: Ground nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts make the richest flour substitute for cookies and cakes. Because their fragile fatty acid content gives them a brief shelf life, it’s preferable to grind your own nuts in a food processor just prior to use. Nut meal requires a binding agent such as eggs. Because chestnuts are lower in fat than other nuts, chestnut flour has a longer shelf life. It is available online.

4. Bean Flour: Dried beans, such as navy, pinto and chickpeas may be milled and used, in combination with other flours, as a wheat alternative. Bean flour is, however, not always recommended. It tastes like beans and makes baked goods dense and hard to digest.

5. Other Flour Substitutes: Potato starch, arrowroot powder, and tapioca are thickening agents that substitute for wheat in sauces and gravy. In baked goods these starchy ingredients serve as a binding agent.

Due to the irresponsible high frequency hybridization, processing and inevitable genetic modification of modern wheat, there is only one solution for the health and wellness of future generations. Stop eating wheat and educate as many people as you can on the coming strains of this grain which will be much more deadly than they already are today.

Natasha Longo has a master’s degree in nutrition and is a certified fitness and nutritional counselor. She has consulted on public health policy and procurement in Canada, Australia, Spain, Ireland, England and Germany.

Original Source of the Article: http://www.realfarmacy.com/why-80-of-people-worldwide-will-soon-stop-eating-wheat/